Infant bathing device



United States Patent Office 2,760,208 Patented Aug. 2s, 1956 INFANTBATHING DEVICE Domniquia Mussells, Newbury, Mass. Application December1, 1952, Serial No. 323,483 4 Claims. (Cl. 4-185) This invention relatesto infant bathing devices.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a support for aninfant, while being bathed, that is not only comfortable but also has auseful function in comforting the infant and imparting a sense of safetyand protect1on.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bathing device in whicheven a restless squirming infant cannot harm itself and whichimmediately calms the infant into a relaxed condition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bathing devicewhich may also be used for sleeping, since it incorporates a flexiblecovering over the infant as well as a restraining band or strap aroundthe infants body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a contoured support fora reclining infant which supports the infant along its full lengththereby preventing the infant from suffering a pulled ligament or muscleor a displacement of the spine during bathing.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan View of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation in section on line 2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation in section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the covering sheet in openposition, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the invention installed in a fabricbathinette.

As shown in Figs. 1-4, the invention is preferably used with a shallowrigid walled metal basin type bathtub A, of a portable type, and is notintended to be used with a full size conventional bathtub. Bathtub A isprovided withupstanding side walls 20 with curved corners such as 21,22, 23 and 24 and a rim as at 25.

The body support B is preferably of cellular, resilient material such asfoam rubber, or the like, and its peripheral edge 4@ conforms to theshape and outline of bathtub A. The main portion of support B at 41 ison a substantially horizontal plane and is of suicient thickness ofmaterial to provide a comfortable yielding support for the lower torsoand legs of an infant. Commencing at a curved transversely extendingline 42, proximate one end of support B, the surface 43 of support Binclines upwardly to form a comfortable yielding head and back rest foran infant. It should be noted that the peripheral edge 40 of support Bis in contact with the side walls 20 of bathtub A whereby support Boccupies the entire lower portion of the bathtub A.

Preferably a drain opening 44 is positioned along the longitudinalcentre line of the portion 41 of support B and connects with alongitudinally extending conduit 45 formed in the undersurface ofsupport B. Since the drains of most metal and fabric tubs now in use arelocated somewhere along the longitudinal centre line thereof, thesupport of this invention may be conveniently used with such tubs whilestill retaining their draining feature.

As indicated in the drawings, the body support B occupies the entirelower portion of the bathtub A at least up to a level less distant fromthe rim 25 than the depth of an infants head as at 41. The integral headand back rest portion at 43 inclines upwardly therefrom to a lineproximate the rim 40 and thus supports the infants face well above therim 40 of tub A. Since an infant of six months or less, for whom thedevice is intended usually cannot turn over by itself, there is thus nodanger of immersion of the mouth or nose even with an operator who isinexperienced or inattentive.

A sheet C of perforated water repellant material such as rubberizedfabric, plastic or the like is fixed at an intermediate portion 61thereof to an intermediate portion 43 of support B by any convenientmeans such as adhesive cement or stitching 62. Sheet C is preferably ofless length than support B and extends longitudinally along the leg andbody portions of support B such as 41, but not along the inclinedportion 43 where the head of an infant will be located. Sheet C isconsiderably wider than support B or bathtub A so that as shown in Fig.l and Fig. 4, with portion 61 xed by stitching 62, the free sections 65and 66 extend longitudinally along, and project beyond, the oppositesides of rim 25. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the free sections 65 and66 of sheet C can be overlapped across the torso and legs of an infanton support B and the water played gently over the sheet to pass throughperforations 68 and thereby relax the infant. The peripheral edge 40 ofsupport B, at the highest point of portion 43 forms a water line marker,whereby with water at this level the torso and legs of an infant aresubstantially immersed, but the head is well out of the water. While amaterial such as annel might be more comfortable for use in sheet C, awater repellent material is preferred to eliminate the need for a Alongdrying period between baths and for ease in cleaning. A rubberized orplastic material having a large number of perforations 68, accomplishesthe comforting purpose of the sheet C in enclosing the infant in aprotective covering during bathing, thus imparting a feeling of safety,confidence, protection and relaxation.

Snap fasteners such as 70, 71 of any well known type are preferablyspaced along rim 25 and suitably mated with corresponding snap fasteners72, 73 on the free sections 65 and 66 to permit the sections 65 and 66to be fastened to the rim 25 when not in use or fastened to each otherin overlapping position when in use. A restraining band is preferablyprovided having its intermediate portion 81 fixed to the intermediateportion 61 of sheet C, and the intermediate portion 48 of support B, bythe same means, such as stitching 62, or by independent stitching, ifdesired. Snap fasteners S2, 83 are provided on the free ends 84, 8S ofstrap 80 to facilitate fastening the same in a Variety of positions.

As indicated in Fig. 5, the support B and sheet C may also be combinedwith an infant bathtub D of the type known as a bathinette in which thetub is made of fabric and is collapsible on a foldable frame. A pair ofleg members 90, 91 of inverted U shape are provided, from the upperstretches of which at 92, 93 a fabric tub 93 depends. Tub 93 in opencondition thus has upstanding side walls 94, rounded corners 95, 96, 97and 98 and rim portions 99 and 160. Snap fastener elements 101 and 102are provided along rim portions 99 and 100 to cooperate with fasteners72 and 73 on sheet C and the drain conduit 45 of support B connects withthe drain tube 104 of bathinette D. The peripheral edge 40 of support Bengages the flexible side walls and corners of the fabric tub 93,whereby the resilient support B occupies the entire lower portion of thetub as in the case of a rigid meta-1 tub such as A. The sheet C and band80 are unchanged when so used.

Preferably an area such as 69 of sheet C is left unperforated on thezone of the navel of an infant in order to avoid the possibility offriction thereon and to prevent the direct application of water thereonwhen the infant is very young.

In operation, a tub such as A or D is provided with a support B, and asheet C and band 80 attached to the support B.- The tub is lled withwarm water to the level of the top of the inclined portion 43, with thesections 65 and 66 snap fastened to rim 25 and strap or band 80unfastened. The infant is then placed on the support B with its head andback resting on portion 43 and its torso and legs substantially immersedin the water above portion 41 of support B and resting on theintermediate portion of sheet C. The resilient support B accommodatesitself to the shape of the infants body supporting its head and spine ina proper and comfortable manner. Band S is then fastened around thetorso, if thought necessary by the operator, to prevent excess movementof the infant. Sections 65 and 66 of the perforated sheet C are thenoverlapped across the torso and legs of the infant and snap fastened,thus relaxing and comforting the infant, and warm water is played oversheet C to pass gently through the perforations and over the body of theinfant. The operator is free to use both hands and free of the fear ofinjury to the infant during bathing. Since the support B occupies theentire bottom of the tub, there are no deep water locations into whichsoap may drop, the infants arms may fall, or the infants feet may becomeentangled Vor cut upon the edges thereof.

l claim:

l. An infant washing device comprising an elongated, shallow, portablebasin having a bottom and upstanding side Walls terminating in a rim allin the same horizontal plane; an elongated filler cushion of waterresistant, resilient, cellular material supported on, and overlying saidbottom, said cushion having a lower torso and leg rest portion fillingone end of said basin from side to side with its upper face in a planesubstantially uniformly spaced below the plane of the rim of said basina distance less than the depth of an infants head and having an integralhead and back rest portion filling the remainder of said basin from sideto side with its upper face ina substantially uniform inclined planeextending upwardly from a transverse line centrally of the length ofsaid cushion to a transverse line at the end of said cushion proximatethe plane of said rim, said latter line constituting the normal waterlevel of said basin and a exihle, perforated, sheet-like covering havingits central portion afiixed to the central area of an upper face of saidcushion intermediate of the length thereof, said sheet-like coveringbeing of water repellent material and having opposite,

free, laterally extending end sections adapted to be overlapped inoverlying position across the body of an infant resting on said cushionin said basin, whereby the lower portion of an infants body may beimmersed in water and the upper portion thereof may be sprinkled withWater through the perforations in said covering.

2. A combination as specified in claim l plus snap fasteners on thelongitudinally extending portions of the rim of said basin and snapfasteners on the free end sections of said sheet-like covering, saidfasteners being adapted to detachably connect said end sections togetherin overlapping closed position and to connect each section to itsadjacent rim portion in open position.

3. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said sheet-likecovering is perforated throughout its entire area except in the areasthereof which overlap proximate the navel zone of an infants body.

4. A device for use in bathing an infant, said device comprising anelongated cushion of water resistant, resilient cellular material ofsubstantial thickness adapted to entirely iill the lower portion of ashallow basin up to predetermined levels when detachably placed therein,said cushion having a flat bottoni, a lower torso and leg rest portionwith an upper face in a substantially horizontal plane uniformly spacedabove said bottom for supporting the lower torso and legs of an infant;a head and back rest portion forming the opposite end portieri of saidcushion with an upper face in an upwardly in* clined plane extendingfrom the plane of the upper face of said lower torso and leg restportion to a plane substantially thereabove for supporting the head andback of an infant, said cushion having a drain aperture through saidlower torso and leg rest portion connecting with an inverted U shapedconduit extending the full length of the longitudinal centre line of thebottom thereof for enabling drainage of a basin having a central drainwith said cushion in place therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,590,522 Kalman June 29, i926 1,618,165 Boschelli Feb. 22, 19272,056,767 Blath Oct. 6, 1936 2,167,178 Kohlstadt July 25, 1939 2,281,629Snow May 5, 1942 2,460,308 Pribil Feb. 1, 1949 2,495,482 Rogatz Ian. 24,1950 2,495,602 Rinaldi Jan. 24, 1950 2,514,767 Kennedy uly 11, 19502,531,724 Cevasco Nov. 28, 1950

